It’s time for beauty companies to take a good look in the mirror. Customers are basing their choices on circularity. They want to see sustainable sourcing. They want total supply chain transparency. And they want as little waste as possible. Better still: absolutely zero waste.

To put the size of the global cosmetics business (and problem) into perspective. It produces 120 billion units of packaging, according to Zero Waste Europe. Only 9% of all the plastic waste ever produced has been recycled. 12% has been incinerated and the rest (an enormous 79%) has ended up in landfills, dumps and saddest of all, in our natural environment. So, the industry has to do something now, and not something cosmetic.

Clean beauty is the way forward. New companies are basing their whole philosophy and branding on it. The calls for change have become louder and more urgent than ever. Global warming, plastic waste in the ocean, destruction of the rainforests and the worldwide attention given to the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals for 2030. The blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all. Even the COVID-19 pandemic has played a role in changing customer behavior.

Five Big Ideas Defining Beauty in 2023

WGSN, is the global authority on consumer and designer trends. According to their research, change is coming very quickly. They identified five big ideas that will define beauty in 2023.

1. Push for Progress: working towards environmental and social good.
2. Embracing Frugality: long-lasting, reusable and circular products will gain in importance.
3. Mastering Well-Being: wellness is a priority for consumers, brands should explore hi-tech and lo-fi solutions.
4. Tech-ceptance: digitized design will go mainstream, opening new retail channels and boosting the importance of customization.
5. Intentional Community: social and value-led networks will become more influential on consumer purchasing decisions. Brands will need new strategies to reach these communities.

It’s estimated that the clean beauty category will reach a value of €19 billion by 2024. New brands are exploring new ways of working, with more collaboration. New and creative ways to improve sourcing, like using lab-made synthetic ingredients. New, smarter packaging options to reduce waste even further. And totally new ideas, for example, waterless beauty. A new wave of products that are made without using any water at all. The benefits of waterless beauty include extended product lifespan, greater formula potency, less packaging and less preservatives.

The big question: what should the long-established brands do? Well, most are already doing it. Re-examining their supply chains, re-looking at their products and packaging and resourcing their ingredients. Also, making the switch from plastic to glass, from single use to refill, from multi-material to mono-material and from blurry to clean label.

MIRON Violetglass, The Fairest of Them All

MIRON Violetglass is a company that looks at itself in the mirror. Sustainability and circularity are a continuous self-critical process of improvement. Packaging, sourcing, ingredients, transparency, supply chains, smart new products, smarter offices and working methods. Every day and in every way, finding new ways to minimize its impact on the planet. Which is not surprising, considering that sustainability is at the very essence of what the company makes and how they make it.

Since 1995 MIRON Violetglass has been producing bottles and jars sustainably from 100% natural ingredients. More than that, the glass has unique properties which preserve the goodness in natural products (without preservatives) as much as three times longer than any other glass, plastic or aluminum packaging. How is that possible? By acting as a natural filter to embrace and harness the sun’s wondrous rays. Protecting what’s inside from the harmful rays, but at the same time, allowing the beneficial rays in to enhance natural products. Working hand in hand with nature and making something both practical and beautiful. Is there anything more rewarding?